Steve Lekwa: The unusual in nature can be most memorable

Saturday

Once in awhile, when dealing with nature, things happen that are quite unusual and memorable.

Once in awhile, when dealing with nature, things happen that are quite unusual and memorable.

I was at the greenhouse the other day picking up some annual plants. I noticed a male ruby-throated hummingbird zooming around inside the store area, seemingly unable to figure a way out in spite of nearby open doors.

I set my box of flowers down next to the cash register to check out and was surprised to have the little bird pop down and begin feeding on some petunias right next to my hand. He was obviously hungry, and that gave me an idea. Once the flowers were paid for, I slowly picked up the box, held it high and was pleased when he zipped right over and started feeding again.

He stayed right with me all the way across the store and out a side door. He was at 100 feet and climbing fast the instant he saw open sky. It was a magic moment.

A broad-tailed hummingbird gave me another one years ago while backpacking in the Maroon Bells Wilderness in Colorado. We had seen several of them and even had found a nest with two tiny eggs, but a particularly curious little male spotted a colorful shoulder patch I had on my coat and spent nearly a minute right at my side as I walked. He repeatedly touched that patch with his bill to see if he could get nectar out of it, or maybe he was just curious to see what it was.

Then there was a spring afternoon I had just returned to the new ranger residence at McFarland Park after picking up our two small children. A little doe was feeding not far from where I parked the old pickup, and we watched quietly from inside the truck, hoping not to scare her away.

The kids found it interesting for a moment and then wanted to get out. I explained that it would probably scare away the little deer, but my 5-year-old daughter left the truck anyway. The next thing I knew she had picked a clover flower and was walking toward the deer holding the clover out in her hand. The little doe looked up, sniffed the flower in her hand and nibbled it.

I sneaked my younger son quietly inside, grabbed the camera and hoped I could catch the magic moment. I was lucky and that picture of a little girl and a yearling doe face to face in a prairie is a family favorite. My daughter cried when the deer walked on, and she couldn’t keep up in the prairie grass.

My son and I shared another magic moment a year ago on our last day out on a wilderness canoe trip. We had awakened to a dark, misty dawn and broke camp quickly before heavier rain began. Being the old, experienced guide, I chose the best course to follow out of the big lake we were on, and, of course, chose the wrong one. I was trying to make what I was seeing ahead fit the map and having some difficulty with it — always a bad sign, and even worse when you’re trying to get out ahead of weather.

We rounded a small point and there on shore, not 50 yards away, was a large bull moose. He was lying down and appeared to be resting calmly. I told my son to slowly grab his camera and eased the still gliding canoe in the moose’s direction with as little motion of the paddle as possible.

It still was too dark for good photos, but we never will forget sitting quietly within 20 yards of the old bull before he slowly stood and walked into the nearby brush. We’d never have seen him if we’d taken the right channel out of the lake. The detour cost us a couple of miles, but was well worth it.

Story County Roadside Biologist Joe Kooiker said he has a load of Pheasants Forever wildlife food plot seed on hand that is available to anyone with a little land that could provide some cover and food for our local wildlife. Call Joe at (515) 460-7903 if you’re interested.

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